Kentucky’s Democratic woman’s clubs hold state convention in Bardstown
The gospel group “The Witness” performed during the banquet for the Kentucky Democratic Woman’s Club state convention.
By SYLVIA HORLANDER
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018 — Democratic women from across Kentucky gathered in Bardstown this past week for a meeting of the minds at the 91st Democratic Woman’s Club Convention.
The convention welcomed Democratic women with a dessert reception Thursday night at Gallery on the Square in downtown Bardstown. The convention continued on Friday with a lunch and dinner at Bardstown Country Club at Maywood.
Hank Linderman, candidate for 2nd District congressman, sings My Old Kentucky Home at the convention banquet.
Gospel music had the audience feeling like they were in church Friday night, as the group The Witness performed. Martha Nest, Nelson County Democratic Woman’s Club president, kept things moving forward as the event’s emcee. She was quick to quote Eleanor Roosevelt: “A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong it is until it’s in hot water.”
The Democratic Women’s Club of Kentucky celebrated the new leadership of Stephanie Wolfinbarger, who says she’s excited but a little nervous to begin her journey.
“We are really energized about the upcoming elections next month and going in 2020,” she told the group.
The Estill County native and former Republican became a Democrat while she was in law school. Wolfinbarger practices law in Louisville representing injured workers, workers compensation claims and Social Security disability.
Hank Linderman, candidate for Kentucky’s 2nd district who is running against Congressman Brett Guthrie, asked what point there is to life without women.
“It’s been a tough 3-4 weeks for the women of the United States of America,” referencing the allegations against U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Linderman said he considers women critical and important, as they provide guidance and judgment. Like he did his last time in Bardstown, Linderman sang and played guitar to “My Old Kentucky Home”.
Two awards were presented at the evening banquet. Beverly Metcalf of Franklin County was the Rose Award recipient. Metcalf said she got “the bug” for public service after volunteering for a relative who ran for state representative. She went on to work for the campaign of former President Barack Obama. Metcalf said, “It’s the little things you do that make the biggest impressions”, referencing volunteerism. Through her volunteering for campaigns, Metcalf said her goal is to “elect the big blue wave to ruin the red carpet”.
Keynote speaker Rocky Adkins predicted a blue wave in Kentucky and nationally that will flip the majority party in the U.S. House and Kentucky House.
Kathy Jo Stubblefield of Calloway County was recognized for the Anne Shanks Bourne Award, for her fundraising. Stubblefield was the first person in her family to graduate from college. Her parents paid for her college, and as a result, graduated with no debt. Stubblefield was born to yellow dog democrats, a dad who was a dairy farmer and a mom who was a school secretary. Stubblefield’s parents told her that if she voted Republican, she would be excluded from their will. She implemented technology in the classroom, and that’s part of what awarded her with Who’s Who Among American Teachers. Stubblefield said her motto is: “doing more than her fair share”. She considers education as a great equalizer between the haves and have not’s.
Susanna French drove from western Kentucky to Bardstown and through her travels, said she has to apologize for Kentuckians everywhere she goes in Washington, D.C. about Senators Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul. French visits the nation’s capitol as part of her duties as the President of the National Federation of Democratic Women.
French’s comments included references to Billy Jean King, when in 1973, 29-year-old King won the Battle of the Sexes, a tennis match against 55-year-old Bobby Riggs.
“It is not okay for the President of the United States of America to call women fat slobs, horse face, and disregard sexual assault,” French said. “It is not okay for women to earn 73 cents for every dollar men earn, and it’s not okay for women to have a seat at a table to make decisions men have made for years.”
Keynote Speaker Rocky Adkins was fired up, his remarks echoed those he gave at the Democrats’ chili supper two weeks ago.
“There’s a storm out there,” he said. The “proud democrat” said, “I finally feel that I have the wind in my back instead of a hurricane in my face.”
. Adkins said he’s been traveling from Pikeville to Paducah. “There’s something special going on in Kentucky.” “The economy is built from the bottom up and with a strong middle class”.
Adkins said he looks forward to Nov. 7 “when we flip the House in Washington and Frankfort.” Democrats will win on Election Day by being “on the ground and in the trenches,” he said.
The convention wrapped up Saturday morning with a buffet breakfast and featured speeches from former state auditor Adam Edelen and Attorney General Andy Beshear, who is a declared candidate for Kentucky governor.
This year’s convention grossed more than $6,000. The Nelson County Democratic Woman’s Club last hosted/sponsored the convention in 2011 at Wickland.
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